Project Name:

This cancelled project is not the NE Front Street Grade Separated Intersection project. That project is active and on track for timely completion.

Project Limits:

The proposed interim improvements for this project will take place at the median crossovers of SR 1 at N.E. 10th Street and SR 1 at N.E. Front Street/New Wharf Road, located in Milford, Kent County, Delaware.

Project Need

This project was developed at the request of the Woodshaven community in March 2014 to recommend interim improvements, prior to the construction of the DelDOT SR 1, Northeast Front Street Grade Separated Intersection project (Contract No. T201112201), to address safety and mobility with crossing SR 1 at the N.E. 10th Street and N.E. Front Street/New Wharf Road median crossovers for the residents. Both the SR 1 at N.E. 10th Street and SR 1 and N.E. Front Street/New Wharf Road median crossovers are unsignalized and eastbound N.E. 10th Street is channelized to only allow right turns in and out of the approach. Angle crashes during the study period (July 2011 to July 2014) were determined to be 49% of the total 39 crashes at both locations.

Project Overview

This project would close the existing southbound left turn lane at N.E. 10th Street, northbound left turn lane at N.E. Front Street, and convert the westbound N.E. 10th Street, eastbound N.E. Front Street, and westbound New Wharf Road to allow right turns in and out of the side street approaches.

Motorists on westbound N.E. 10th Street wanting to turn left or cross SR 1 would instead drive through Woodshaven, make a right-turn at New Wharf Road, and utilize the northbound SR 1 left turn lane at N.E. 10th Street.

Motorists on westbound New Wharf Road wanting to turn left or cross SR 1 onto N.E. Front Street would also make a right-turn and utilize the northbound SR 1 left turn lane at N.E. 10th Street to make a u-turn.

Motorists on eastbound N.E. Front Street wanting to turn left or cross SR 1 onto New Wharf Road would either make a right-turn onto SR 1 or use another roadway within the City of Milford to utilize the SR 36 overpass to go north on SR 1. Eastbound N.E. 10th Street could also be utilized by these motorists to make a right turn and then a u-turn at the southbound SR 1 left turn lane at New Wharf Road.

Left turning motorists on southbound SR 1 at N.E. 10th Street or northbound SR 1 at N.E. Front Street would use the crossover to the south or north respectively to make a u-turn.

The left turn lane closure at the median crossovers and the right turns restriction on the side street approaches are to be done using tubular markers, pavement markings, and signing and would tentatively be in place until the construction of the SR 1, Northeast Front Street Grade Separated Intersection project.

It is expected that the proposed median restrictions will significantly reduce the number of conflict points in each crossover and allow for the safer, more orderly movement of traffic. However, several of the traffic movements that can be completed today directly at the crossovers would be diverted (as noted above) to other routes, resulting in less convenient trips.